Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Balthazar: Favorite Brunch in NYC

Looking through past blog posts, it's clear that brunch is my favorite meal. Living in NYC, there are absolutely endless options, and although I do make an effort to try new places, I find myself constantly going back to the same few spots. Because of higher price points and the difficulty with getting a reservation at Balthazar, I don't go as often as I'd like, but when I do, it's always a very nice experience. This past weekend's visit confirmed that it is definitely my favorite brunch place in the city.

Balthazar is also a very nice place to bring out-of-town guests. The beautiful grand dining room and terrific food make this one of the best dining spots in NYC.

The most delightful silky smooth pâté, we could not get enough of this. The grilled bread had just the right amount of char to it, while still being soft enough to easily bite into. Hands down the best appetizer I've had in a while, and one that I will never return to Balthazar without ordering again.

Duck shepherd's pie, $29

Something I would normally never order, so I'm very glad the bf did. It was so incredible. Huge pieces of tasty duck, and the softest mashed potatoes, all sitting in delicious sauce. I had more than a few bites, and still wanted more/my own order.

Sour cream hazelnut waffles with warm berries, $21

My favorite waffles in the world. Right here. I've talked about them before, but I have to again. Bits of hazelnut are spread throughout the waffles, and the warm berries just burst with flavor. I love that the waffles manage to be both fluffy and dense at the same time. It may not make sense, but when you try them you'll know what I mean.

Cappucino, $4.75

Although all the desserts sounded appealing, we decided to not take on full blown food comas. We continued to sit and people-watch for a while instead. Loved seeing all the European families and New York businessmen enjoying seafood platters and many cocktails.